The present invention relates to a drape used in performing surgery, and in particular, to a surgical drape with a clear portion and an absorbent border.
Drapes are used during procedures to create and maintain a sterile environment about the surgical site. Draping materials are selected to create and maintain an effective barrier that minimizes the passage of microorganisms between non-sterile and sterile areas. To be effective, a barrier material should be resistant to blood, aqueous fluid, and abrasion, as lint-free as possible and drapable. When used during surgery, drapes prevent blood and other bodily fluids from contaminating the sterile field.
Many surgical drapes were originally made of cotton or linen, and were sterilized after each use for reuse. More recently, disposable drapes have been introduced, in which non-woven paper or fabric forms a substantial part of the drape. Many disposable drapes include a number of layers of different materials for the drape area and reinforcement area, with each layer providing a different property to the drape. For example, spun-bond fabrics, melt-blown fabrics, and polymer films have been used as layers in disposable drapes.
Surgical drapes will commonly have an opening or aperture (more commonly known in the medical field as a xe2x80x9cfenestrationxe2x80x9d) through which the surgical procedure is performed. In certain procedures, more than one surgical site is used. In these more complex procedures, the patient must be draped using a plurality of drapes or must be re-draped between procedures.
An adhesive material may be attached to the periphery of the drape material so that the drape can be held in place around the surgical site and so that blood will not pass between the drape and the patent""s body. The combination of the drape itself and the adhesive material around the perimeter of the aperture ensures a barrier between the surgical wound and the remainder of the body.
It is desirable to form surgical drapes with absorbent material to absorb blood and other fluids during surgery. The absorbent material is usually placed on a opposite surface of the drape surface in contact with the patient""s body. However, drapes having an absorbent material are generally opaque and therefore provide little visibility around the perimeter of the fenestration. Drapes with a transparent material do not provide adequate absorption of fluids. Therefore to minimize the risks associated with surgical procedures, it is desirable to provide a one-piece drape that is easy to apply and provides adequate visibility and absorption.
In response to the foregoing problems and difficulties encountered by those of skill in the art, the present invention is directed toward a surgical drape for covering a patient during a surgical procedure.
In one aspect, the invention includes a surgical drape that has a base sheet having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least one opening. An absorbent sheet is positioned on the upper surface of the base sheet and has at least one opening aligned with the opening of the base sheet. A transparent sheet is attached to the opening and has a fenestration through which a surgical procedure may be performed when the drape is covering a patient. The absorbent sheet is preferably formed from non-woven spunbond fabric. The base sheet is preferably formed from woven reusable fabrics or non-woven disposable fabrics. The transparent sheet is preferably hydrophobic and is formed from a low-density polyethylene film. The surgical drape may also have a layer of adhesive on a lower surface of the transparent sheet substantially surrounding the fenestration. A release liner may be placed on the adhesive layer.
In another aspect the invention includes a surgical drape having an opaque absorbent sheet having at least one opening. A clear sheet is attached to the opening, wherein the clear sheet has a fenestration and an adhesive coating on at least a portion of the clear sheet surrounding said fenestration. A release liner is on the adhesive coating.
In yet another aspect, the invention includes a surgical drape having an absorbent outer layer with at least one opening. An inner layer adapted to contact a patient. The inner layer has at least one opening aligned with the opening of said absorbent outer layer. A transparent sheet with at least one fenestration is attached to the at least one opening
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, the invention being defined only by the claims following this detailed description.